Light-Induced Oxidation of a Chloroplast b-Type Cytochrome at -189 degrees C

The b-type cytochromes of chloroplasts have heretofore been viewed as photosynthetic electron carriers that probably occupy an intermediate position in a light-induced electron flow. The oxidation-reduction of such intermediate electron carriers, being removed from the primary photochemical reaction linked to photon capture by chlorophyll, would be expected to show a temperature dependence. Evidence has now been obtained that cytochrome b₅₅₉ is photooxidized at -189°C and that this photooxidation can be induced only by "short-wavelength" monochromatic light which activates the oxygen-evolving system in chloroplasts (photosystem II). In appears, therefore, that photooxidation of cytochrome b₅₅₉ is closely linked with photon capture by the chlorophyll pigments characteristic of photosystem II.